Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) has introduced a bill, the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act (DIGIT Act), to promote innovative strategies and interagency coordination in fostering the growth of connected and interconnected devices known as the Internet of Things. In 2015, the Senate passed a resolution unanimously calling for a national strategy for the development of the Internet of Things. In following that agenda, this bill seeks to provide secure solutions that benefit all stakeholders in the deployment of the Internet of Things. The DIGIT Act would create committees, made up of nongovernmental stakeholders and representatives from related federal agencies, tasked with identifying possible challenges that may be encountered in implementation and suggesting recommendations for adoption of Internet of Things technology in federal agencies and critical industry sectors.
The committees, the Federal Working Group and the Steering Committee, are required to submit reports to Congress highlighting their findings. Additionally, the bill calls for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) to issue a notice of inquiry seeking public comment on future spectrum needs to better enable the Internet of Things.
